


The Neighbor Upstairs

by improbabledicks (Strawberry_Hill)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Anal Sex, Anxiety, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Oral Sex, Panic Attacks, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-17
Packaged: 2018-03-01 21:18:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2788085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Hill/pseuds/improbabledicks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meeting Erwin was the best thing that had happened to Levi since he moved to a new city. Even if they met because he drunkenly mistook Erwin's apartment for his own one night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Neighbor Upstairs

**Author's Note:**

> This fic deserved to be about ten times longer than I could make it. Oh well. 
> 
> **WARNING —This story contains descriptions of anxiety and anxiety attacks. Please read with caution if that's something that might trigger you or make you uncomfortable.**
> 
> As always, you can check out my eruri sideblog at [improbabledicks](http://improbabledicks.tumblr.com/).

Erwin was lounging on his couch, watching TV and picking at leftover takeout. He considered it a reward for himself after a long Sunday spent cleaning his apartment and catching up with things. He was idly flipping through channels and considering going to bed soon when a loud pounding startled him out of his reverie. Alarmed, he sat up, looking around for the source of the noise. Had it been the door? It was silent for a moment, then the pounding returned—it was definitely his door. 

Who on earth was banging on his door at this hour on a Sunday? He rose and tiptoed quietly to the door to see who was there. It was late and he wasn’t expecting anyone...and if he were, he would have had to buzz them into the building for them to reach his door. 

There was a faint scraping and a muffled curse. Erwin peered through the peephole—in the lower corner of his view, he saw a dark head of hair. Someone was leaning against his door. He contemplated sneaking back to the couch and hoping the stranger would go away, but at that moment they stepped back from the door. 

Erwin vaguely recognized the man—he was probably a neighbor he’d seen once or twice before, and his face looked frustrated and confused as he smacked the door despondently with his palm. Deciding it was relatively safe, Erwin opened the door, and the man practically fell onto him.  

“Are you okay?” Erwin asked, steadying him before he could hit the floor. The stranger smelled strongly of rum—he blinked up at Erwin, eyes dazed.

“Who the fuck are you?” he demanded, swaying slightly when Erwin let go of him.

“Um...”

“Whatever.” The man waved him off. “I’m going to bed.”

He stumbled past Erwin, tossing his keys on the kitchen counter and heading for the bedroom. Sighing, Erwin followed him. He probably lived a few doors down and got confused about which apartment was his. Erwin scooped up the stranger’s keys—sure enough, the name of their complex was stamped in small letters on one of the keys. 

When Erwin looked into his bedroom, the mystery neighbor had flopped onto his bed, shifting for a moment to clumsily take his wallet and phone out of his pockets. Erwin had to do something. 

“Okay, no. You’re not sleeping in my bed,” he said. He walked over, trying to tug the man off his bedspread, but was swatted away.  

“Fuck off,” the man grumbled. Trying to stay patient, Erwin snagged the wallet off his bedspread and found a driver’s license, glancing at the name. 

“Okay, Levi. Can you tell me where you live?” 

“Here,” Levi muttered tiredly, burying his face in his arms. 

“What number apartment?” Erwin pressed. There was no response. Erwin prodded the man, but he appeared to be out cold.  

“Fantastic,” he mumbled. He didn’t have many options, though he was half-tempted to throw this Levi person into the hall and let him become someone else’s problem. Instead, he went out to the living room and cleaned up his leftovers, turning the TV off. He didn’t particularly want to sleep next to a stranger, even a stranger who was small and too drunk to do any harm to him, so he scooped the man up off his bed and deposited him on the couch. 

Erwin went back into his bedroom and grabbed the stranger’s wallet and phone along with a spare blanket. He spread the blanket over the small sleeping form and set the wallet, phone, and keys on the coffee table. He also went into the kitchen, filled a glass with water, and wrote a brief note on a spare receipt—the note and glass of water also went on the coffee table. 

Hoping his unexpected guest wouldn’t wake in the middle of the night, he shut off the lights and shut and locked his bedroom door. He had work early the next morning and didn’t want to stay up all night looking after his blackout drunk neighbor. 

*

Levi woke with a dry mouth and a splitting headache. 

He groaned, rolling over, only to abruptly fall to the ground. Confused and dizzy, he opened his eyes, narrowing them in the bright morning light. 

This was not his apartment. Fuck. 

It looked like his—the same sliding door leading to a balcony on one side and the same cramped kitchen on the other. But this wasn’t his couch or his TV or his coffee table. 

He spotted his stuff clustered on the coffee table, and heaved himself back onto the couch, reaching for the note. 

_Dear extremely drunk neighbor,_

_I think you mistook my apartment for yours. You passed out before I could get you to leave, so I put you on the couch. I’ll probably be at work when you wake up, so please lock the door when you leave._

Levi groaned, burying his face in his hands. Of course the first time he actually interacted with one of his neighbors would be when he accidentally broke into their apartment, drunk. It probably wasn’t the best idea to go to the bars on a Sunday night to begin with, since alcohol fucked with his meds and triggered his anger, but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. He spotted the glass of water and gulped down half of it, hoping it would help his headache. 

Eager to raid his own medicine cabinet for aspirin, he gathered his things and stood shakily. There was a blanket bunched up on the couch—he folded it carefully, then took the glass to the kitchen, dumping the water in the sink and washing it, setting it in the drying rack on the counter.

There was a pen on the kitchen counter and he grabbed it, going back to living room. He quickly scribbled _Thank you. Sorry._ under the note his neighbor had written him, hurrying to the door and making sure he’d locked it from the inside before he shut it behind him. 

A small placard next to the door indicated the apartment number. 

“Goddammit,” he muttered after glancing at it. He must have gotten off the elevator at the wrong floor, since he had just come out of the apartment directly below his own. Shaking his head, he made his way down the hall to the elevators, looking forward to a greasy breakfast and a hot shower. 

*

Levi almost forgot about his morning as he got on with his day. He had class midmorning and then a shift at the bakery right after that, so he didn’t give a thought to the neighbor he’d probably freaked out until he got home that evening.  

He was reminded when he went onto his balcony to water his small collection of herbs and saw light spilling onto the balcony directly below his. It looked like his neighbor was home. 

It was tempting to just let it go, but they did live in the same complex. They could easily encounter one another later by chance, and Levi really didn’t need to add running into his neighbor to his long list of things that might give him an anxiety attack. Convincing himself it was the better option, he decided to go downstairs and apologize. As a precaution, he dug in his backpack and pulled out a bottle of the medication he usually took before exams, popping one of the small pills. 

He waited a half hour, distracting himself by methodically removing everything from his fridge, wiping down the inside with disinfectant, and putting everything back. He washed his hands afterward, noticing how much his heart rate had slowed, indicating the medication had begun to work. Knowing he would only talk himself out of it if he waited any longer, Levi forced himself out the door, double checked that he’d locked it, and made his way to the elevators. 

A weird and familiar feeling settled over him as he stood in front of the door—feeling like he should have been anxious—sweating and shaking, but without being able to show the symptoms because of the medication. He shook it off as best he could, softly knocking on the door. 

A moment passed. He heard shifting in the apartment, then the door opened. 

Oh, but this man was _attractive_. Levi stared up at the big blond, trying desperately to remember what he had decided to say, when the man saved him and spoke first.   

“I thought I might see you again,” he said, smiling gently. “Did you make it back to your own place okay?”

“I...yeah,” Levi replied sheepishly. “I just came down to say sorry.”  

The man shrugged. “No harm done,” he said. “Do you remember what happened?” 

Levi shook his head.

“You just pounded on the door until I opened it, then you commandeered my bed and knocked out. I moved you to the couch,” he explained. “Nothing too terrible.” 

Levi shrunk into himself slightly. “I must have pushed the wrong number in the elevator and gotten off a floor early. I’m really sorry, I hope I didn’t disturb you—”

The man waved him off. “It’s okay,” he said. “Does that mean you live above me?”

“Yeah, directly above you,” Levi said, still fidgeting. 

“Ah.” The man suddenly grinned. It lit up his face. “You must be the one who moved in last month. You’re much quieter than the couple who lived there before you. Especially in the bedroom.”

Levi flushed. “Oh. Well...I guess I don’t stomp around very much” he said, not sure how else to respond. He definitely did not need to start discussing sex with his new hot neighbor.

“Lucky for me,” the man murmured. “I’m Erwin, by the way.” He held out his hand, which Levi took.  

“Levi.”

Erwin gently squeezed his hand before letting go. “Nice to meet you properly. Are you new to the area?”

“Yeah...I moved here for school,” Levi replied, relaxing slightly as they moved to a safer topic.

“Oh, at the university?” Erwin asked, sounding surprised. Levi nodded. “It’s a bit far from campus out here.”

Levi frowned. “It’s a little far. But rent is cheaper.” 

Erwin nodded. “I see. Are you feeling okay here so far? I know it can be stressful to move to a place you don’t know well,” he said, his voice kind. 

“Um,” Levi began, shifting his eyes down, “I’m doing okay. Keeping busy. Anyway, I don’t want to keep you.” 

Erwin smiled. “It’s fine. But Levi—let me know if you need help with anything. I’ve lived here a while and I know the city well.”

Levi blinked, surprised at the offer. “Oh...okay. Thank you. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing,” he said, slowly edging away from the door. He needed to get out of there before he said something stupid to his ridiculously attractive neighbor. 

“No problem,” Erwin replied cheerfully, starting to shut his door. “See you around, Levi.” 

It wasn’t until Levi was safe in his own apartment that he realized Erwin was the first person to ask him how he was doing since he moved.  

*

Erwin’s heart had nearly broken when he realized his unexpected guest was just a poor, nervous student who was probably still getting used to a new city. Which is why he didn’t hesitate to help when Levi showed up at his door about two weeks later, wet from the rain, out of breath, and looking like a kicked puppy.  

“Levi,” he greeted when he opened he door, surprised. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Levi said, wringing his fingers, his eyes darting around. “I’m really sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you had a car? I have an appointment across town and I missed the bus and I’ve been trying to get this appointment for weeks and I can’t reschedule—” He stopped rambling when Erwin put up his hands. 

“I do have a car,” Erwin said, lowering his hands. “Would you like a ride?”

Levi nodded vigorously, shivering. “It’s...we wouldn’t have to leave right now. I have to be there in an hour, the buses are just slow,” he explained. 

“That’s fine. Would you like to come in and dry off?” Erwin offered.  

Levi shook his head. “No, no, it’s fine. I’m gonna go change,” he said, beginning to edge away from the door. “But are you sure you don’t mind giving me a ride? I really don’t want to inconvenience you...”

“It’s okay, really. I was just doing some cleaning,” Erwin explained. “Go dry off. You can come back here when you’re ready to go.”

“Okay,” Levi said. He took a deep breath, seeming to ground himself. “Okay. I’ll do that. Thank you so much.”

“Anytime,” Erwin said, smiling. He watched Levi rush back down the hall to the elevators. Closing the door, he fished his phone out of his pocket to make a call. 

“Hey, Mike,” he greeted. “So something came up and I’m going to be a little late, if that’s okay.” 

*

Levi returned fifteen minutes later, clothes dry, and looking significantly less anxious. Erwin grabbed his coat and umbrella and led him down to the parking garage beneath the building.  

They talked quietly as Erwin navigated the city streets. Levi told Erwin about his Master’s program and his part-time job at the bakery down the street from their complex, which Erwin was familiar with, and Erwin pointed out the law office he worked at as they drove past it, describing to Levi what he did as a paralegal. 

“So what kind of appointment are you going to? Doctor’s?” Erwin finally asked. 

“Yeah. Doctor’s,” Levi muttered. Out of the corner of Erwin’s eye, he could see Levi fiddling nervously with a button on his coat. He didn’t want to distress Levi, so he didn’t press. They rode mostly in silence after that, Erwin’s phone occasionally squawking out directions. Soon enough, Erwin pulled up to the curb next to the small professional building. 

“Thank you for the ride,” Levi said softly, reaching for the door handle. 

“You’re welcome,” Erwin replied warmly. “Do you know when you’ll get out?”

“Um...probably an hour. But I can take the bus home, you don’t have to come back for me,” Levi said quickly. 

Erwin waved him off. “Here—” He fished in his wallet, pulling out a business card and scribbling his cell number on the back with one of the pens that lived in his cup holder. “I have a couple of errands I need to run on this side of town, anyway. Just text me when you’re done—if I’m still around, I can come by and get you. Okay?”

“Okay,” Levi replied, accepting the card and tucking it safely into his coat pocket. “Please don’t wait on me, though. I can take the bus if I need to.”

“Scout’s honor,” Erwin promised, grinning. Levi returned his smile, ever so slightly, then he was slipping out of the car, running through the rain and disappearing into the building. Erwin stared at the doors he had gone through, reveling in the small, gentle smile his neighbor had granted him.  

* 

Levi’s clammy hands shook as he made his way out of the cramped office. He hated doctor’s appointments. And new psychiatrists. And new prescriptions. They made him anxious, but the idiocy of some of the people he had to deal with was also setting off his anger. People talking down to him, people treating him like he was crazy...it made him want to hit something. Preferably someone’s face. 

He needed to get himself under control—he wanted to run out of the building, but the rain had picked up and it was pouring now. He groaned, checking his phone. The next bus didn’t come for a half hour, and he’d get soaked walking to the bus stop. He could probably wait a bit and then run to the bus so he wouldn’t have to wait in the rain, but then the image of a crowded bus full of damp, dirty strangers invaded his head, and the idea of dealing with that right now made him nauseous. 

Instead, he sat on the spindly bench next to the front doors, dug in his pocket for Erwin’s card, and texted him with shaky fingers, praying he was still running errands. Erwin texted back almost immediately, saying he could be there in a few minutes. Levi let out a breath, allowing some of his tension to bleed away.  

He spent then next few minutes breathing deeply, trying to get himself under control. It was cold next to the door, but his alternative was to go back into the waiting room, and frankly, he’d rather freeze. Soon enough, his phone buzzed with a text from Erwin.

“Hey,” Erwin greeted as Levi slid into the passenger seat. He peered at Levi’s face in the dim light.  “...You know, you look really pale. Did they stab you with a needle or something?”

Levi shook his head as he fastened his seatbelt. “I’m just cold,” he muttered, tucking his hands into his coat. Erwin turned the heat up, directing the center vents toward Levi, before pulling away from the curb.  

“I’ve got one more quick stop to make,” Erwin said. Levi nodded. He sank into the seat stared out the foggy window at the passing streetlights, allowing himself to zone out. He was jolted out of his reverie when Erwin stopped, rolling down the driver’s side window. They were at a Starbucks drive-thru. 

“Hello. Two tall hot chocolates, please,” Erwin ordered cheerfully after he was greeted. Levi looked at him, an eyebrow raised. Erwin smiled back. 

“My dad used to take me for ice cream after every doctor’s appointment,” he explained as he pulled up to the window. “It’s a bit cold for that, though.” 

A moment later, Erwin was passing Levi a steaming insulated cup. Levi held it with both hands, letting it warm his frozen fingers. 

“Thank you,” he said softly, carefully blowing through the opening in the lid to cool it. What had he done to deserve this Adonis of a neighbor who took care of him when he was drunk, drove him across town without hesitation, and bought him hot chocolate?

Levi sipped at his hot chocolate the rest of the way back, the warmth heating him from the inside, and the sugar helping to hold off the fatigue that always preceded a crash. He could still feel it coming on, though, and once all the adrenaline in his system died down, he’d probably sleep through the rest of the evening. For now, he would enjoy the peace and warmth of the car.

* 

Levi greatly warmed to Erwin after that. Or at the very least, he seemed determined to pay him back. Erwin had flat-out refused payment for driving Levi to his appointment, even just to cover gas, going so far as to dodge away when Levi stubbornly tried to tuck a few bills into his pocket in the elevator after they got back. Levi huffed as Erwin slipped through the elevator doors when they reached his floor. He grinned when Levi narrowed his eyes as if he were contemplating running after him and forcing the money onto him, but the elevator doors had shut before he made a move.  

So now, when Erwin occasionally stopped by the little bakery down the street to sit at one of the cafe tables, have a cup of coffee, and discreetly admire his neighbor, Levi would always quietly slip him something from the display case if he was working that shift. A little piece of pain au chocolat, a warm croissant...and once, a tiny fruit tart filled with soft custard. He never stopped to talk—there were always customers waiting and trays to refill and oven timers going off—but Erwin would always smile and thank him, occasionally catching a small upturn of Levi’s lips before he walked away. 

Sometimes he would watch Levi work when his back was turned, appreciating his lithe movements and the sharp lines of his body, and sometimes he would catch Levi watching him from behind the counter. 

*

After a few weeks of living in a new place, Levi had settled into an uneasy routine. He’d been a bit off center ever since his new psych decided to change up the dosages of his meds, as if moving to an unfamiliar city wasn’t stressful enough on its own. He often felt exhausted, and sometimes his emotions fluctuated so much that he would go from angry to insipid to maniacal in a matter of hours. Changing meds was something he’d had to deal with before, but on top of the additional stress, it was difficult. 

School was...school. He caught a bus to campus in the morning, had classes, spoke to no one, then went to the library to study and do work. Some of his classmates had formed study groups—sitting together in class, laughing, and talking. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like if he’d joined them. It was hard to picture himself joking with them and saving seats for them and going to get lunch in a big, boisterous group. He couldn’t bring himself to interact with any of them, so he kept to himself, quiet, and went about his day. 

He took the bus back to his side of town in the afternoon, either to return to his apartment or start his shift at the bakery if he was working that day. If he went back to his apartment, he would do more schoolwork, clean, cook dinner, and clean some more. It would be too early to go to bed by the time he finished everything, so he would either do some extra studying or settle on the couch under a pile of blankets and flip mindlessly through the meager number of TV stations he got until it was late enough that he could justify going to bed. 

He preferred the days he had to work. The bakery was always warm, and he was allowed to eat a pastry or two for free while he was working. It kept him busy, it meant he could go longer without venturing to the grocery store for food, and Erwin was there often. 

He didn’t know why Erwin suddenly started to frequent the bakery. At first he thought maybe Erwin had always been a regular and he just didn’t notice, but he quickly banished the thought. Erwin was the opposite of forgettable. The only other reasonable explanations were that Erwin had suddenly remembered how much he liked the bakery, or he was coming to see Levi. 

Levi indulged in the possibility that it was the second reason. It wasn’t rare for him to imagine himself vaulting over the counter to jump Erwin as he sat by the window and sipped his Americano, but a person would have to be crazy to _not_ have that fantasy about the man. No—Levi’s feelings ran deeper. Erwin’s kindness wouldn’t be apparent to someone just passing him on the street, but Levi had experienced his generosity several times now. 

He wasn’t sure how to properly thank Erwin. Besides the fact that he could hardly string together a sentence around the man, he really didn’t know how to repay kindness. It had been a while since someone was so...nice to him. He didn’t like the idea of owing his neighbor either, so he settled on slipping Erwin one of the pastries he set aside for himself any time the man came in. It seemed silly—like something a kid with a crush would do. There wasn’t much else he could offer Erwin as repayment, though, unless it involved bending himself over one of the small cafe tables and telling Erwin to take whatever he wanted. Not that would be opposed to that.  

Erwin seemed happy to accept Levi’s small offerings, though. Levi would watch him enjoy the little treats from behind the counter, busying himself whenever Erwin glanced over.  

*

That was the extent of their interaction until one Friday evening, when Erwin was relaxing after a long day of work and heard a loud thump and a faint cry directly above him.  

He glanced up at the ceiling, frowning. It was the first time he had ever heard anything coming from Levi’s apartment. He listened, but he heard nothing else—no shifting or footsteps, just silence. After debating going up there, he decided to play it safe and grabbed his keys, heading out the door.  

Erwin had never been on the floor above his, but it looked identical to his own floor, except for the numbers next to the doors. No wonder Levi had drunkenly mixed up their apartments that night a few weeks ago—Erwin could have easily made the same mistake while sober. As he made his way down the hall, he saw that Levi’s door was slightly ajar. 

“Levi?” he called, approaching the door. “Crap.”

Levi was sprawled on the floor, chest heaving, his backpack and few heavy-looking textbooks scattered next to him. 

“Hey,” Erwin murmured, bending down to place a gentle hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

Levi looked up at him with wide, panicked eyes. His face was more pale than normal, and his breaths were fast and uneven. 

“No. I need...there are pills in my backpack,” he gasped. He shakily propped himself up on an elbow and reached toward his bag with unsteady hands, rifling through it until he found a small orange bottle.

“ _Fuck,_ ” he muttered after he unscrewed the lid, peering into the bottle. “Goddammit. The one time...I forget to refill my prescription.” He dropped the bottle, flopping back down onto the floor, breathing hard. 

“Do you need to go to the hospital?” Erwin asked, stroking down his arm and trying not to let his alarm show as his neighbor fell to pieces before his eyes.

“No, no,” Levi said, curling in on himself slightly. “I’ll just...I’ll be okay. Eventually.” He pressed his face into his hands, shivering. Erwin hesitated before snagging the empty bottle, glancing curiously at the label. Scanning through the medical jargon, he spotted the word _Xanax._  

“Ah. I see,” Erwin murmured. “Come on—you’re all right. Let me help you.” He slid a hand under Levi and pulled him up into a sitting position. Levi was rigid, but he didn’t resist. 

“Do you want to go outside?” Erwin asked, running a hand down Levi’s back while he tried to breathe. 

Levi shook his head. “Too cold. Can you...shut the door?”

“Of course,” Erwin replied, sliding across the floor to push the door closed. Levi relaxed slightly, his breath still fast. Erwin turned back to him.

“Okay, I’m going to get you off the floor,” he said, wrapping an arm around Levi’s waist. “Come on.”

Levi allowed Erwin to pull him to his feet. He wobbled, so Erwin stayed close, guiding him to the couch. Once Levi was safely seated, Erwin went into the kitchen, searching through the cabinets for a glass and filling it with water. He set it by Levi and sat down, unsure of how much distance he should keep—he was out of his element here. Levi made his decision by tucking his knees to his chest and curling up against Erwin’s side. 

Erwin settled an arm around Levi’s shoulders and waited for him to calm, murmuring gently to him. Levi’s skin felt cold, so Erwin reached behind him to snag the blanket folded over the back of the couch and drape it over him. 

It took a long time for Levi to relax. Erwin could feel his chest expanding and relaxing as he breathed hard. They sat together on the couch, Erwin quietly telling him that he was safe and that he would be okay. Levi’s breathing eventually began to slow, and belatedly, Erwin realized he was trying to match his breaths to Erwin’s.  

“Better?” Erwin asked after Levi finally loosened, shifting so he could stretch his legs out. 

“Ugh...sort of,” Levi mumbled, shivering and adjusting the blanket draped over him.

“Want to talk about it?”

Levi sighed. “There’s just...a lot of stuff that happened today. My manager cut my hours. And I was all over campus for school bullshit, and everyone I talked to was a goddamn idiot. I’ve been trying to keep myself under control all goddamn day but I just wanted to hit everyone...And I almost missed the bus and it was really crowded and I just couldn’t handle it...” He groaned, clenching his fists. “Fuck. I need to do something. I’m fucking pissed and my body flips its shit if I have this much adrenaline and don’t use it.”

Levi looked around, legs jittering, before he stood up shakily. Erwin watched him warily—he looked angry now, like he was ready to destroy something. To Erwin’s shock, he turned sharply and slammed his fist into the wall. 

“Fuck—ow.”

He was definitely angry. 

“Okay, no,” Erwin said, shooting off the couch and grabbing Levi’s wrist before he could do it again. Levi practically snarled, trying to pull away, but Erwin held onto him firmly. 

“Levi. Stop.”

“Fuck you,” Levi growled, aiming a punch at Erwin with his free hand. Erwin caught his other wrist before the punch could land. Levi struggled, eyes murderous. His knee came up, glancing off Erwin’s thigh, and Erwin pinned him against the wall before he could try again. 

“You need to calm down,” Erwin ordered, his voice low. He didn’t want to hurt Levi, but there was something seriously wrong. 

“No, fuck that!” Levi shouted, trying to jerk away from Erwin’s hold. “I have fucking been calm! I have been dealing with shit ever since I moved here, and I’m fucking done!” His pale face was twisted into a snarl, splotches of red blossoming on his skin. 

“I moved away from every goddamn thing I knew to come to this city. It’s fucking cold here, I don’t know any of my classmates, it took me forever to find a new psychiatrist, they cut my fucking hours so I don’t know how the hell I’m going to pay rent, and you are literally the only person in this fucking city whose number I have, and the only reason we met is because I can’t fucking handle myself when I’m drunk. I am done dealing with this shit.” He tried to jerk out of Erwin’s grasp again, but Erwin just sighed and didn’t budge.  

“Levi...” He loosened his grasp on Levi’s wrists, but before he gave him the chance to slip away, both his arms wrapped around Levi firmly, pulling him into his chest. Levi tensed, but stopped struggling. Erwin’s hand came up to stroke his hair, and Levi tipped his head back, eyes still burning. He needed something to distract him, clearly—take his mind off all the horrible burdens dragging him down. 

Praying that he wasn’t misreading Levi’s actions and about to make a terrible mistake, Erwin bent down and gently brushed his lips against Levi’s. He pulled back after a moment, hoping he hadn’t overstepped Levi’s bounds. Levi stared back at him, his face unreadable. Erwin was afraid Levi was about to smash his forehead into his nose, but instead, Levi dug his nails into Erwin’s arm and attacked Erwin’s mouth with his own, lips moving frantically. Erwin stood still for a moment, shocked, before Levi very deliberately bit his bottom lip. 

“Come on,” Levi demanded angrily. “If you’re gonna start that shit then you’d better fucking finish it.”

Erwin bent down again, and his lips began to move with Levi’s. Levi was aggressive—his pent-up rage evident in the way he grabbed at Erwin’s neck, his nails sinking into skin until they were close to drawing blood. Erwin growled at the pain and bent to pull Levi clear off the ground, hands grasping his thighs, pressing him to the wall. Levi wrapped his legs around Erwin’s hips tightly, pulling away from the kiss only to sink his teeth into Erwin’s neck. 

The pain was good. Erwin groaned, pushing his hips into Levi’s, all other though quickly driven from his mind. Small hands at his back fisted the material of his shirt, pulling to the point of almost ripping.  

“Hang on,” Erwin murmured, coming back to himself as Levi bit his neck again. “Are you okay? We’re moving a little fast.” 

“Oh my fucking god,” Levi groaned, pulling back, fire in his eyes. “You’ve been staring at my ass while I work for weeks. Just fuck me, you goddamn asshole.” 

That was enough for Erwin. He gripped Levi’s legs tighter before pulling him off the wall. Levi’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, and Erwin stumbled toward the bedroom.  

He dropped Levi on the bed before beginning to quickly shed his clothes. Levi made a beeline for his nightstand, rifling through the drawer and throwing lube and condoms onto the bedspread before beginning to tear his own clothes off. His eyes roved hungrily over Erwin’s bare chest as he kicked his jeans off, and he growled when Erwin stopped what he was doing to softly run his hands down Levi’s legs. 

“Don’t fuck around.” Levi swatted Erwin’s hands away impatiently and grabbed at the waistband of Erwin’s pants, pulling them down with his underwear. He stared, his eyes narrowing, as Erwin stepped out of his pants and kicked them aside. 

“Goddamn you’re huge,” he muttered, sliding onto his knees before Erwin could react and grabbed his dick, sucking hard on the tip.

“Fuck, Levi.” Erwin staggered, a hand coming down to grasp Levi by the hair. He loosened his grip a moment later, not wanting to pull at his scalp. Levi paid no mind, taking more of Erwin in his mouth, his tongue working until Erwin was fully hard before he pulled off, wiping his mouth. 

“Finish inside me,” Levi ordered, staring up at Erwin. Erwin nearly came at the thought—he reached down and grabbed Levi off the floor, tossing him onto the bed. Levi scrambled onto his hands and knees, his legs spread, looking over his shoulder at Erwin impatiently. 

This part, at least, couldn’t be rushed. Erwin crawled onto the bed, running a hand gently over Levi’s ass. Levi had been right—Erwin did stare at his ass while he worked. It was a nice ass, and it was even nicer to be able to touch it. Erwin grabbed the bottle of lube and poured a generous amount onto his fingers before rubbing them over Levi’s asshole. Levi moaned, leaning back and spreading his legs further apart. Erwin got more lube, and this time he pushed a finger into Levi. He worked it in gently, letting Levi get used to the feeling. 

Levi stared at him over his shoulder. “Stop being so goddamn gentle. I can take more than that,” he growled, pushing back onto Erwin’s finger. Erwin raised an eyebrow, but obediently pushed another finger into Levi.  

“Fuck yes,” Levi groaned, dropping onto his elbows and resting his forehead on the bedspread. “More.”

Erwin complied and began to spread his fingers as he moved them, causing Levi to writhe. He added another finger soon after that.

“That’s enough. Just fuck me,” Levi demanded, pushing back impatiently. Erwin hesitated.

“Levi, I don’t want to hurt you,” he replied, still moving his fingers gently.  

“No, I know what I goddamn want,” Levi almost shouted, looking back at Erwin. “I want you to fuck me. Hard. Don’t fucking argue.” 

_If he wants to play that game..._  

Erwin pulled his fingers out, ignoring Levi’s whine. He tore open a condom and rolled it on, quickly getting some more lube and spreading it on himself. He grabbed Levi’s hips and jerked him backwards, beginning to push himself in. 

Levi cried out, scrambling to grip at his bedspread. Erwin didn’t give him a chance—he rose up higher onto his knees, gripping Levi’s hips firmly and dragging them with him until Levi could do nothing but hang helplessly, his knees not even touching the bed. 

Erwin gradually picked up a steady rhythm. Levi moaned, burying his face in the bed—his skin began to flush as Erwin thrust harder. Erwin could tell he wouldn’t last much longer, so he slowed his pace, looking down and watching appreciatively as he slid in and out of Levi. 

He came with a groan, still gripping Levi tightly. Pulling out, he dropped Levi’s hips, quickly pulling off the condom and tying the end. Levi lay sprawled on the bed, moaning. He looked like he was on the edge, so Erwin grabbed his hip with one hand and hauled him up again, reaching around to grasp his dick. His hand worked Levi firmly, until Levi was writhing and grabbing at the bedspread. He went rigid as he came in Erwin’s hand, then fell limp. 

Erwin slid off the bed for a moment, grabbing a tissue to wipe his hand on before he laid down in front of Levi, reaching around him to stroke a hand down his back. Levi didn’t move as he caught his breath. They lay there as they calmed, coming back to themselves—everything had happened so quickly. Erwin was still processing it.  

“Burned all that extra adrenaline, did you?” he asked eventually. Levi tilted his head up to glare at Erwin, eyes narrowed. 

“Asshole,” he grumbled, scooting himself up so he was pressed to Erwin’s side.  

Erwin laughed. “I know,” he said, running his fingers through Levi’s hair. “Are you cold?” 

Levi nodded, and they clambered under the covers.  

*

“You’ll be okay, you know,” Erwin murmured as Levi tucked himself against his chest. 

“Hmm?”

“Everyone has a rough time when they start over in a new place,” Erwin explained, folding his arms around Levi. “It’s never easy adjusting, and there will always be setbacks and challenges...Maybe more for you,” he added, and Levi snorted. No shit. 

“I know,” he mumbled, settling into the embrace. “I’ll sort everything out eventually. It’s just hard. You’re the only person I know outside of work or school.” He pressed his forehead to Erwin’s chest, reveling in the warmth of his body.  

“I’ll introduce you to my friends,” Erwin said softly, rubbing his hand over Levi’s lower back. “You’ll like them.”

Levi hummed at the warm touch. His life was a sad mess at the moment, but he’d survived this long already, and right now he had Erwin. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.  

*

After their rather interesting night, and after getting back to his own apartment at a very odd hour, Erwin decided he could sleep in a bit since it was a Saturday. He forced himself out of bed eventually and sluggishly got dressed, pulling on his coat so he could make his way to the bakery for a big cup of coffee. Hopefully it would wake him up. One of Levi’s coworkers was working the front counter, and Erwin greeted them with as much energy as he could muster, ordering his usual coffee and settling himself at one of the cafe tables next to the window. 

There were no other customers, so he sat quietly and sipped his coffee, watching people as they walked past on the sidewalk outside. He was startled out of his reverie by movement in his periphery—he looked up, and Levi was standing there, a small, tired smile gracing his lips. He placed a warm croissant in front of Erwin, and instead of immediately slipping back behind the counter like he normally did, he pulled out the other chair at the table and sat down.  

**Author's Note:**

> Just so everyone's clear, it's not a good idea to try to snap someone out of a panic attack by kissing them or trying to initiate anything with them. That's not quite what Erwin did in this story, but I want to make sure we're all on the same page. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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